Ch 30
Arriving at the house, Sonya saw a boat at the dock. Allison and Jackie were on the dock in their mermaid tails, Bob and another boy were helping Jackie out of the boat.
Mark chuckled, "They caught a few mermaids on their fishing trip, it looks like."
"The explanation should be good," Sonya said with a grin. She parked beside Christine. They got out. Sonya held Mark's hand and went down to the dock.
"Successful fishing trip?" Sonya asked loudly.
All the girls waved. "Hi Sonya! That's Mark?"
"This is Mark," Sonya beamed. "So why are all of you in a boat?"
Joan, still in the boat, pointed at the water. "The alligator is here, so we didn't want to get in the water."
The girls on the dock were getting out of their tails. Harold was watching intently. "Those are fake tails, they aren't real," he said.
Allison eyed him. "What? Did you think we were really fish?" she asked. Jackie, Joan and Louise laughed at him.
Joan inched her butt over to the dock edge of the boat, then rolled over onto the dock.
Mark frowned at Sonya. "So you have a fake tail too?"
Sonya giggled, "No, it's a real silicone mermaid tail," she told him.
Getting out of their tails, the girls shouldered them. Jackie said, "Sonya, Louise did really well! She swam all the way out to Bob's boat!"
"I did!" Louise beamed. She then saw Harold gazing at her legs. "WHAT?" she asked harshly.
Harold's cheeks turned pink. He looked away, "Aww, nothing." Everywhere he looked, there was long bare legs and cute butts hidden only by a triangular patch of cloth. He was feeling a little dizzy.
"Mark, are you staying for dinner?" Joan asked she came up to him.
He nodded.
"Great! I'm Joan," she then pointed to each as she said, "That's Allison, Jackie, Louise, Bob and..."
"Harold," Bob offered.
"Harold," Joan finished. She then complained, "Here I was just swimming along, minding my own business, then Harold tried to catch me with this big lure!"
Harold gaped at her. "I had no idea that was you!" he cried. Seeing the very tall couple, he did not want them mad at him.
"Harold," Allison asked with a mischievous grin, "Were you trying to take Joan away from Bob?"
"What?" Harold asked weakly. The girls tittered in laughter.
Louise then shifted to a scared look," The alligator's getting on the dock!"
The boys backed up, the girls backed away.
Sonya saw it had it's head and one claw up on the dock. It's head was up at a high angle. She put her foot under it's jaw and flipped him back in the water. "No!" she admonished.
Mark shook his head. "Most people wouldn't be brave enough to try that," he said.
"That was cool!" Harold and Bob chorused.
"We need to make the dock a bit higher," Joan noted. "That's how he's getting into the yard." She watched as the alligator swam to the shore and got up on land outside the fence.
"Joan's here. I bet he thinks it's feeding time," Jackie said.
"Bob, Harold, you coming up to the house?" Sonya asked.
Bob looked at Harold. "Want to go up?"
"Ok," Harold agreed. He was liking all this female flesh he was seeing.
.
Getting into the house, the girls went up to their rooms to change. Sonya showed Mark around the downstairs. Taking in the large rooms and the pool on the side of the house, which also had a patio between the house and the pools, Mark asked, "So, the government pays good?"
Sonya shook her head. "The government barely covers our taxes. We're still getting money from the movie and from the TV show for a few more years. John's made sure we save and invest. That's how we got this place. No big parties for us unless it's a family affair, and we do those right here at home. The only thing we really were extravagant on were the Charity festivals in Palmdale. We paid for much of the setting up so the people who came to donate would see their money going to the charities," Sonya explained.
"That was very thoughtful of you," Mark told her.
"We do what we can," Sonya said. "I am really hoping we're not going to have any more trouble … other than Joan's alligator hanging around."
"Is she trying to make it her pet or something?" Mark asked.
"No, she thought it would be fun to feed it. She and Louise did, then were shocked to find it followed them all the way back and into the house," Sonya said with a snort. "Was Cameron ever mad. Joan and Louise were grounded for two weeks. That alligator is still hanging around, and Joan still feeds it to get it out of the yard. Cameron and Delilah just throw it out of the yard."
"I'm surprised no one's had a chunk taken out of them," Mark told her.
"Keep the mouth shut," Sonya said. "Alligators mouths are very powerful coming shut. Not so much opening. Get a good grip on their snout, and they can't open their mouth. That and keep their tail from swinging around to whack you, and you can handle them."
"I'll remember that."
Walking through the house, arm around each other, they came to the dinning room. Cameron was clearing the table off.
"Allison, right?" Mark asked, seeing her.
Sonya giggled.
Cameron tipped her head slightly as she looked at Mark. "I'm Cameron, you are Mark?"
"Yes. Are you and Allison sisters? You look like twins."
"Allison is little me," Cameron stated. "It's good to meet you, Mark. Be kind to Sonya."
"He is Cam," Sonya told her.
"Don't let me find out otherwise," Cameron stated. She smiled briefly.
"There was no reason for that," Sonya admonished. "Mark has been wonderful to me."
"I'm sure he has, and you deserve to be treated well," Cameron agreed.
Mark asked, "Sonya, could I speak to Cameron alone for a minute?"
Sonya eyed him.
"Please," he asked.
Sonya nodded slowly. "I'll be in the next room," she said and left.
Mark waited until she was gone, then asked Cameron," Do you have something against me?"
Cameron shook her head. "No. I barely know you. That is why I am nervous about you. You are Sonya's first real romantic attachment. Her first real boyfriend. I am very protective of Sonya. If anything should happen to her … I would be very unhappy."
Mark understood. "I work down at the garage for Joe. I have a sister in town, her Husband, Jimmy, works on the Lewis farm, she does day care when school's out. When we can, we spend time out on the lake we call the Big lake on the other side of town. That's really about it. What do you want to know about me?"
"Thank you," Cameron replied. "I know Sonya is big and tough. Emotionally, she's still a child, and can be hurt very easily."
"I'm getting that too," Mark agreed. "Mrs. Connor, I am, and will always watch out for Sonya. She's told me some about you and her family. I know you have all been through hell. Sonya is a wonderful woman, I feel blessed to even know her. I don't care what she is. I do care very much about her happiness."
"I am happy to hear that," Cameron replied.
From the other room, Mark heard, "I'm going to borrow him for a bit." He looked to see Delilah come in.
"Hi Mark!" Delilah said cheerfully. Coming up, she hooked her arm in his and said, "Cam, I've got to show Mark something. We'll be back in a bit."
Mark let her tow him out the back door. By the firm grasp she had on him, he didn't think he had much of a choice. She did let him open the door for her. Leading him along, she walked slowly.
"Cameron is a bit intense at times," she explained.
"Yeah, I saw that," he agreed.
She smiled again briefly. "Cameron and John have saved me and Sonya, and most recently, Louise. Has anyone explained to you where we came from?"
"Sonya said she came back in time, along with you and Cameron. She called your kind Terminators."
"Yes, what she said is true, but do you understand what that means?" Delilah asked.
"Assassins made of metal on the inside," Mark replied.
Delilah nodded. "That is true, but that is not all of it. We were made by a very malevolent entity called Sky Net. Myself and Sonya, until we were freed, that is all we knew. The way time travel works, if you come from the future, you can change the past. I was sent back to kill John Connor. He and Cameron saved me and gave me free will, like we did later with Sonya. Mark, Cameron didn't start out as a Terminator. In the first time line, before we changed it, she began life as a human girl by the name of Allison Young ."
He looked at her. "The Allison that's here?"
"Yes. Only by this time, in the previous time line, Allison was a close friend of John Connor. See John collected the survivors of Sky Net's war against humans and organized them to fight back. Sky Net wanted him dead. Allison was captured, and Sky Net interrogated and tortured her. She would not tell her captors about John, so they killed her and used her DNA and some brain tissue to find out everything she knew about John. Sky Net used this DNA and pieces of Allison to make Cameron. It made Cameron a little too efficient and intelligent. She didn't kill John. She let herself be captured and reprogrammed to protect him and was send back in time to protect the young John Connor. Somewhere along the line, Cameron gained sentience. She also knows her history. She just didn't help John destroy Sky Net to save the world, but to also ensure John stayed safe, as well as her former self, Allison, from being torn apart and put into a Terminator body. To do all she's done, Cameron has, you can call it, a very fierce need to protect those around her."
"That's why she gave me the third degree," he said. "She wanted to be sure I was serious about Sonya."
"That's one reason," Delilah agreed. "I think she is testing you also. To see if you will stand up for Sonya."
Mark grinned. "You're telling if I pass this test, she'll accept me then? So, is her bark worse than her bite?"
Delilah laughed. "Oh no! Don't ever think that! Her bite is a hundred times worse than her bark." Looking off to the side, Delilah spotted a pig routing around on the ground. She pointed her arm at it, formed a plasma canon and shot, obliterating the pig and the ground around it. Tendrils of smoke from the hot ash that remained drifted up into the air. "Our bite is very lethal."
Mark stopped and stared. He saw the weapon reform back into a normal looking hand and forearm.
"I think you see now what being a terminator means," Delilah told him. "We do all we can to be helpful and pleasant. When it comes to a threat, especially to our family, we can be deadly. We all can, but Cameron is nearly paranoid about anyone near her her family that she doesn't know. Mark, I do like you and really hope things work out great for you and Sonya. I just want you to know why Cameron is like she is."
"Ah, yeah," Mark replied vacantly as he looked at the big black dirt oval where there used to be a pig and some brush.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"
They turned to see Sonya, running fast up to them. Glaring at Delilah, Sonya cried, "Are you trying to scare Mark away from me? Is THAT it?"
"No! He just need to know who we are," Delilah replied defensively.
"By shooting plasma bolts?" Sonya cried with a wave of her arm. "I already told Mark what I am! What's wrong with you?"
Seeing Sonya upset, Mark got his brain engaged. "Sonya, Cameron and Delilah don't mean any harm." He went over and clasped her hand. "A little scary, yeah, but they mean well."
Wearing a look of frustration, Sonya said, "I can tell him. PLEASE stop trying to help!"
"It's OK, calm down hon," Mark told her gently.
"We worry about you," Delilah told her.
"I know," Sonya said, sagging a bit. "Some things I have to do myself, OK?"
Mark told Delilah, "Thank you for telling me about Cameron. It makes more sense now. And with the pigs, if you use a gun then you can at least get the meat, or give the alligator some."
Delilah winced and shrugged. "Sorry, I get carried away now and then."
Mark grinned. "We all have our quirks. I'm only happy to see Sonya has a family who truly care about her." He was also learning to never get these people mad at him.
.
Sitting side by side on the front porch, their legs danging off the edge, Bob told Joan, "You really need to be careful around that alligator."
"I am. He just won't go away." Joan grumbled.
"Have you tried quit feeding it?" he asked.
"Yes. And fencing in the yard, and kicking him out when he gets in the yard." Joan said in a huff. She leaned into Bob. "Dad wants to make boots out of him."
"It would be safer," Bob said in a musing tone. He looked towards the dock. His boat was tipped up on the side, He then saw why. The alligator was pulling down on one side, the live well was draining. The fish he caught flopped out.
SNAP
A gulp, and his fish was gone down the alligator's throat. Bob shot to his feet. "My fish! He ate it!"
The alligator slipped back into the water, leaving Bob's boat half full of water, his fishing gear floating in the bottom. Withing thinking, Bob ran down to the dock to save his boat.
"Bob, NO!" Joan cried and ran after him. Wrapping her arms around him from behind, she stopped his charge to the dock. "No! Wait until he's gone."
"But ... did you see that? He stole my fish!" Bob said pointing at his foundering boat.
"I'm sorry, but wait, then we'll pull your boat up and get the water out, OK?" Joan offered.
"Man, that sucks!" Bob grumbled.
Harold came running down with Allison. "What happened?'
Bob pointed to the boat. "Joan's alligator got in the boat and ate my fish!"
"How'd he do that?" Harold asked.
"He tipped the boat up and the live well opened up and dumped the fish out."
"It's not my alligator!" Joan complained.
Bob turned and hugged Joan. "You're the only one who thinks that," he said and patted her back.
Joan grumbled quietly into his chest.
"So? Go catch another fish," Allison offered.
"I'll go get buckets to bail the boat out," Joan said. She walked back to the house.
.
One thing John had for pumping out the pool pump and filter pit, was a hand operated pump. Since it was Joan's alligator that did it, everyone agreed Joan needed to pump the water out of the boat. while Joan operated the pump, the discharge hose going over the side, Bob and Harold picked out their poles and tackle boxes to salvage their gear. Allison stayed for an alligator watch in case it came back.
While they did that, John, Mark, JJ and Louise went to the barn to find some lumber to make the dock taller. It was a foot above the water. It needed to be taller. Finding some left over 2x6's on the second floor, John and Mark carried them down. JJ found a bag of nails, Louise carried a couple hammers.
Walking down to the dock, they saw a strange sight. Joan was pumping the handle of the pump hard, holding onto the discharge hose, right into the alligator's eyes. The other kids had moved off the dock and were watching.
"I SAID GO AWAY!" Joan yelled as she hosed the alligator's face. It snapped at the water stream, she hit it on it's nostrils. The alligator flailed and snapped at the water stream The water stream sputtered. Joan quickly moved over to the back of the boat and again started pumping fast to hit the alligator on the snout.
"DO YOU WANNA BE TURNED INTO BOOTS?" Joan yelled as she hosed it down.
The alligator turned to the side and went under.
"And STAY down there!" Joan yelled.
The alligator resurfaced but far away, then went over to the shore to climb up into brush.
"Yes, I win!" Joan announced, and finished pumping the boat out.
"You know Bob, your girlfriend is crazy," Harold told him. "That was a stupid thing to do."
Remembering what Joan had said, he told Harold, "If it's stupid but it works, maybe it's not so stupid."
"We better be getting back," Harold said.
"Yeah, let's put our things back in."
There was still a little water in the bottom of the boat, but Joan did get most of it. Bob got a hug and a kiss goodbye. They got on, Joan pushed them out away from the dock. It was then she realized she hadn't gotten any 'private' time with Bob. "See you tomorrow!" she yelled with a wave, feeling a bit cheated.
"Bye!" Allison offered with her wave.
.
Mark got to meet the whole family before dinner. Going to dinner, he held Sonya's seat for her and sat beside her. Cameron smiled at him.
The meal was tasty, Mark was a little surprised Cameron was the cook. He complimented her on her cooking skills. "This is very good, well done, Cameron."
John said, "Mark, Sunday we're having a cookout. Why don't you and Sonya join us?"
"Yes," Sonya agreed. "Your family is coming to the lake here anyway, aren't they?" she asked him.
"Put in at the Young's house, I call them and let them know to expect you," Cameron offered.
"Their boat is bigger than Bob's isn't it?" Louise asked.
"It is," Mark told her. "Joan's alligator won't be able to get on."
"It's NOT my alligator," Joan said.
Everyone chuckled. "Keep believing that, hun," John said. "What kind of boat is it?"
"Pontoon. I'm thinking tie up at the end of the dock," Mark told him."They have a ladder on the front."
"Good idea," Sonya agreed. "I'll make sure we got ropes ready for it."
"Cindy is going to expect to see you swim," Mark told Sonya. To Delilah he said, "Cindy went nuts when she saw Sonya in her Mermaid tail."
"Then we'll swim out to meet them!" Joan announced.
"Yes, and give Cindy a show!" Allison agreed.
"Jumping and tails stands!" Jackie agreed.
Louise frowned. "I can't do that yet."
"They we'll practice," Jackie told her.
The rest of the conversation was focused on the girls planning their mermaid show for Cindy, they even coaxed Sonya, Cameron and Delilah to join them to give Cindy a big show.
.
After dinner, Mark and Sonya went out to the front porch for a while for some quiet time as the Mermaid show was discussed. It wasn't long before Sonya wanted to show Mark her bedroom. He was eager to see it.
.
By the next Saturday, Sonya and Mark had the base platform for the pontoon boat made. The platform was wood, Sonya noted it was just like the floor in a house. The 'sub' floor' had the beams that connected the pontoons to the platform and were screwed and glued to the 2x6's atop the pontoons. The top floor was linoleum sheeting with a covering of outdoor carpet, except in a few places there was metal plate. The grill plate was forward of center to hold a cooking grill. A hinged plate was above where the strut operator and tow bar operator would be installed. Where the motor was going to go was also had a metal frame to be cut out of the deck later. The pontoons were on stands three feet off the ground, making the bottom of the platform six feet high. Getting the platform in place and secured, they got the bare wood coated with linseed oil. It was a bit messing doing this, but prevented the wood from rotting. Monday, after this coating of oil was soaked in, Sonya would put on another coat of oil and let it soak in before painting began.
Sonya noted their project was beginning to look like a boat.
.
Sunday morning, everyone got in their positions. John had the 'alligator watch'. Not surprisingly, the alligator was found outside the fence near the pool in one of the few places open to sunlight outside the fence. On the dock was a mermaid party. All the girls were putting on their mermaid tails, even Sonya, Cameron and Delilah. They also went over who was going to do what and when. Louise had the easiest part, swimming out to the pontoon boat with Mark's family on it, and being the 'announcer'. John had made sure he knew where the alligator was, then came down to the dock. JJ was there to help John tie the boat up when it came in.
.
Jimmy and his family met Mark in back of the garage. Mark had their boat ready to go. He hitched it up and they headed out for the Young's house. On the way, Mark told them, "You have to remember, there are alligators in the small lake, so keep a close eye on the water. That log you see may not be a log."
"Will we see alligators too?" Cindy asked.
"Probably," Mark told her. "If you do, stay away from them, even if they aren't even moving. They can move fast and grab you."
"It's like the crocodile song," Cindy said. She then sang:
Never smile at a croc-a-dile
Don't you ever smile at Mr. Croc-a-dile
Don't be taken in by his welcome grin
he's only thinking how good you'll be
within his skin
Mark nodded, "Yes, Cindy, exactly." He thought once was enough, but she sang it a couple more times. Kids.
Getting to the Young house, Daniel and Claire were outside. Daniel waved for Jimmy to follow him around the house. They had a dock with a ramp into the water beside it. On the other side of the dock was their motorboat. Mark, Cindy and Darlene got out, Jimmy turned around to back the boat into the water, Mark got on the boat. Daniel and Claire got on the dock.
Putting the boat in went smoothly. Once afloat, Mark raised the wheels and retracted the tow bar when Jimmy unhooked it. Daniel helped tie the boat up as people and supplies were put on board.
"This is quite the boat you have," Claire told Darlene.
"It is! Mark made if for us. He and Sonya are making one for the Connors. When that one's done, maybe you can coax him into making one for you also."
"Right now, out little motorboat is fine. Our daughter Allison spends much of her time up at the Connor place anyway. You're joining us for the cookout there today, yes?"
"We are," Darlene agreed. "After seeing Sonya, I am very curious to see the rest of the family. Are they all really tall?"
"Mostly normal sized," Claire said. "But they can be rather quirky," she cautioned.
Hearing them, Mark laughed. "Quirky? You mean quirky like the Addam's family."
"I don't know if they are that bad," Claire offered.
"Joan has an alligator for a pet, and it runs free," Mark stated.
"It's not a pet, exactly," Claire said. "It just showed up, and won't leave."
"Because Joan feeds it," Mark said.
"Joan isn't the only one," Daniel said. "Allison came home and told us about Cameron kicking pigs to it."
Jimmy eyed him. "Kicking pigs?"
Claire grinned. "Allison rode up to their house on her bike. She and the other girls heard a small pig scream. They found Cameron chasing after it. Every time, Cameron caught up to it, she kicked it in the air. They watched her kick it down through the yard, and right to the alligator who ate the pig. Cameron said it was just a coincidence the alligator was right where she kicked the pig."
Jimmy laughed. "That's odd all right."
"My daughter's family are a little quirky, but good people," Claire insisted.
Mark looked at Claire. "Are you talking about Cameron?"
"Yes. She's been through a lot, but she's still my … oldest, I suppose is the best word."
Claire looked too young to be a grandmother. Then again, it was just another weird thing about that family.
Daniel looked at his watch. "We should go soon, we're due to pick Louise up, mid lake."
"She in a boat?" Jimmy asked.
"Swimming," Mark told him.
"Is she a mermaid too?" Cindy asked eagerly.
"You'll see when we get out there," Mark assured her.
.
With everyone on, Mark drove out to mid lake. Everyone else was watching the water.
Darlene pointed to some ripples and a short wake and asked, "What's that?"
Mark saw it too. Off to the right, he saw a head. a fluked fin splashed briefly. "That might be her," he said, and turned the boat to her.
Coming closer the form slowed and a head and shoulders appeared. Louise waved. Mark slowed down and drifted towards her as they got closer. Louise swam over to the boat. Cindy opened the gate. Louise pulled herself up on the ladder. "Hi! You must be Cindy," she said.
"I am!" Cindy agreed heartily.
"I 'm Louise," she said and pulled herself up to sit on the deck. "We heard you like Mermaids?"
"Yes, is Sonya here too?" Cindy asked.
"The whole family is, so keep watching," Louise beamed.
Joan and Allison rose up out of the water doing tail stands, their knees moving back and forth quickly. They waved, kicked fast for another minute then both dove back in.
Cindy clapped. "That was cool!"
"We also have 'flying' mermaids," Louise said and looked to the left. Cindy looked too.
From the left, Cameron shot out of the water, arcing down right at the boat. She grabbed the left side rail to collapse herself on it, then pushed up hard while her momentum carried her over to the right side in a flip. There she gripped the rail again to scrunch up then push off hard to do another flip to hit the water in a perfect dive.
While everyone watched Cameron drive back into the depths, Delilah flew out of the water, grabbed the rail on the right, right at the front of the boat, did a cartwheel across the front rail, then dove back in on the left. Everyone cheered and clapped.
Ahead, Sonya shot straight up in the air. As she did a flip, Joan and Allison shot up from opposite sides and arced over Sonya as she dove back in. Jackie then burst out of the water on the left and flew over the boat, arms out to the sides clearing the boat, then dove back in.
Cindy was beaming a look of euphoria as she watched the show.
Cameron jumped up from the right just ahead, Delilah jumped up from the left, they arched up towards each other, an arm out to grab the other's hand, spun each other around then dove back in. They no more than hit the water when Jackie shot out of the water to grab the rail in front and cartwheel herself along the rail and back into the water.
Mark was getting this all on his video camera.
Joan and Allison came up to tail walk again slowly away from the boat, Jackie came up between therm. All three tail walked back a little farther then all three arched backwards and dove in.
Cameron leaped from the water to fly up and grab the rail at the front left corner. Balancing on one hand, she flung her tail around and settled to sit on the corner. Delilah came up and grabbed the right front corner and sat there. Joan jumped up to sit on Cameron's right, Allison jumped up and took Cameron's left. Jackie jumped out to sit beside Delilah.
Cameron said, "Cindy, we heard you like mermaids."
"I do!" Cindy cried happily. She then asked, "Where's Sonya?"
"Back here!" Sonya replied. She was sitting on the right back corner near Mark.
Mark turned to get her on video. "And here's the most perfect mermaid of all," he said smiling.
"Awww, how sweet." Sonya replied and blushed.
Darlene was full of questions. "You're all family? So … who's who?"
Allison shot her hand in the air. "I'm Allison, this is Big Me, Cameron, Joan there is Cameron's daughter, so is Louise here, and over there is our mom, Claire."
Darlene looked back at Claire, then at Cameron again, then looked at Joan. "But, Claire isn't that old, she can't be a grandmother, and what do you mean by 'Big Me? Are you and Cameron twins?"
Allison had grown up to be almost Cameron's size, so Cameron said, "Close enough."
"And Cameron, Joan is your daughter, so Allison is her aunt?"
Joan let out a giggle, "I think more like, Mommy Three?"
Allison laughed. Waving a finger at Joan she said, "No more alligators … EVER!"
"Unless we kick the pigs?" Joan asked in a giggle.
"I didn't see the alligator," Cameron stated.
Joan belly laughed, lost her balance and fell backwards into the water. This made Allison laugh harder. When she fell, she fell onto the deck, holding her belly in mirth. Jackie was saved by Delilah as she nearly went over backwards in her mirth. Cindy giggled along with them.
"Mermaid overboard!" Daniel called.
Cameron leaned back and looked over the side. "She'll be right back," she assured him.
A hand grabbed the bottom of a rail upright, Joan pulled herself up, still giggling.
Delilah offered, "Yes, Jackie here is my child but we're all family. Sonya is our cousin."
"John is our Dad!" Jackie stated with a finger in the air.
Cameron looked over, their dock was in view. The Alligator was in the water near the dock. John was on the dock, JJ was with him. The extra height of the 2X6's along the edge seemed to be enough to keep the alligator off it. Cameron pointed to them. "There is our husband John, and my youngest, JJ."
Delilah frowned slightly. "I'm getting behind."
"Our' Husband? as in both of you?" Darlene asked, shifting her gaze between Cameron and Delilah.
Cameron nodded, then said, "Girl's the alligator is by the dock, so we all stay on the boat. We get off with everyone else."
Cindy looked at the dock closer. "I don't see it."
Delilah got down and knelt be Cindy. "Look close, he's there, to the right, only his eyes and nose is showing."
Cindy watched she they got closer, only twenty feet from the dock, her eyes opened up as she cried, "I see him! Mom, Dad, there's an alligator, right there!"
The girls sat on the deck and were taking their tails off. Cindy didn't notice, watching the alligator intently. "He's big!" she said, getting a better look at him.
Mark slowed and gently bumped the boat against the end of the dock. Cameron and Jackie took the ropes and tied the boat up. Louise got off first, her tail over her shoulder. Jackie followed, then Delilah Joan, Allison and Cameron got off and headed for the house. The alligator swam to the shore and got up on the outside of the fence.
"Hon, come on, we're getting off," Darlene coaxed.
Cindy stopped looking at the alligator long enough to climb down the ladder and onto the dock. She walked over to the fence near the alligator, staying away from the fence.
"It's the first time I've ever seen one outside the zoo also, dear," Darlene told her.
"He looks big and heavy," Cindy said. "He eats pigs?"
"Alligators will eat anything," Sonya told her from behind. "Including people, if they can get a hold of you."
"Wow, and he stays right around here?"
"He does," Delilah said with a huff.
"So, no swimming off the dock, right?" Cindy asked.
"Right, no swimming off the dock with no tail. We have a pool."